Was It My Fault?
by SkyGem
Summary: At the age of four, while on a vacation to America with his family, the young tennis prodigy, Echizen Ryoma, disappears. Wandering the streets alone, he is picked up by a stranger and is then sold to...Full summary Inside. Rating may go up later.
1. The Kidnap, The Rescue

Summary: At the age of four, while on a vacation to America with his family, the young tennis prodigy, Echizen Ryoma, disappears. Wandering the streets alone, he is picked up by a stranger and is then sold…to the child sex slave trade! He is rescued 2 years later, by the organization One Child, and is given therapy. Six years after his rescue, at the age of twelve, the police are finally able to locate his parents, and he is sent back to his loving family, fully "healed"…or so everyone thinks. After reuniting with his old childhood friends, will Ryoma finally be able to let go of his painful past?

DemonicEmbrace: Hey all! Okay, today, in school, we had an assembly about child sex slavery, and some of the things I learned about were absolutely terrifying. I felt so helpless, and I still do, but my way of coping with that is writing this fanfiction to raise awareness.

Disclaimer: I don't own TenniPuri.

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><p><strong><span>Ryoma<span>**  
><em><span>Age 4<span>_

I look around, tears streaming down my face. _"O-oyaji? Okaa-san!"_ I shout, looking desperately around.

Where did my parents go?

"_O-onii-chan!"_ I shout again, thoroughly terrified.

Suddenly, as I turn a corner, a pretty lady comes into view.

She smiles sweetly and says something in a language I don't understand. As I look at her quizzically, she seems to realize that I don't understand and just holds out her hand. Drawn in by her gentle smile, I go up to her, taking her hand. She holds my hand gently and heads off. Does she know where my family is?

Suddenly, we arrive at a car, and I climb in without a fuss, thinking that this car would take me back to the hotel my family was staying in.

On the way, I fall asleep on the ladies lap, but she doesn't seem to mind. I feel safe, knowing that when I wake up, I will be back with my family.

Suddenly, I am awoken when I fall to the floor hard. Groggily opening my eyes, I look around, not recognizing where I am.

The pretty lady from before has disappeared, and the only other person in the room is a man, about my father's age.

Tumbling up to him, I pull on his pant leg and he looks down at me.

"W-where am I?" I ask, scared.

The man just smiles wickedly at me and says something menacing.

Suddenly, I am very afraid.

_Age 6_

I am woken from my fitful sleep by a ray of light falling on my face. The room is pitch black, and there are no windows. The only way for light to come in would be from the doorway.

Getting up, I look fearfully at the doorway. I see a man's silhouette and back up as far as I can, pressing myself to the wall. Trembling, I close my eyes in preparation for the beating that is surely to come.

Then, when I don't feel anything, I open my eyes and see that the man from before has been joined by two women. I am suspicious. Are they new customers?

Slowly, the older of the two women walks up to me and I press myself closer to the wall, terrified.

"Hush now, child, it's okay. We're here to help you," she says in a gentle voice.

I start shaking my head, not believing her. The last time I went with a strange woman, I ended up here.

Her expression then looked so sad. "Please, son, I promise we won't hurt you."

I shake my head, feeling a scream building up in my throat.

The lady seems to see this, because she stops advancing.

The man finally speaks.

"Don't scream. Whatever you do young man, do not scream."

He says this in a stern voice, but something about that sternness puts me at ease. I look at him closely, and see that he has black hair, and a kind face. He reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago, but even this can not make me trust him fully.

Then, the last of the group of three speaks.

"Won't you come with us?" she asks. Something about her makes me want to trust her. I look at her curiously and see that she's only a teenager, about ten years older than me.

Coming closer, she puts a hand on my arm, and I flinch, but I don't move away. Then, she gathers me into her arms and for the first time in years, I feel safe.

She begins rubbing my back and slowly, slowly, I begin to sleep. At first I'm hesitant, remembering the last time this happened, but the rhythm is so soothing, and the girl so gentle, I eventually drift off.

When next I awake, I'm in a comfortable bed, and the girl from last night is in a chair beside my bed, sleeping peacefully. I look around and realize it…I'm safe.

_Age 12_

"Ryoma!"

I turn to the sound of my voice and smile. "Aly!" I shout, running up and hugging the girl that had become like an older sister to me.

Hugging me back, she says, "How're you doing?"

I smile at her. This is the first time I've seen her in weeks. She's just come back from another rescue mission. "I'm doing good! And you'll never guess what!"

"What is it?" she asks, smiling, seeming amused.

"I got a perfect on my Japanese language test!" I say triumphantly. The place I lived at, a rehabilitation centre run by the organization One Child, gave proper education to the children, and though some classes were mandatory, we were allowed to choose one course which we wished to take. For me, that course was Japanese. According to the investigation the police had been leading since I had been rescued, I was actually born in a country called Japan. What I had been doing in America, nobody knew, but in an attempt to feel closer to my home, I began to take Japanese language lessons. The language and culture greatly interested me and as a result, I was doing very well.

Her face lights up into a bright smile and she says, "That's wonderful, Ryoma!"

I smile back, happy at her approval, then, I hear my name again.

"Ryoma!" says a disbelieving voice and I turn around.

Standing there is a woman I don't recognize. She has shoulder-length brown hair and gentle brown eyes. Even though I've never seen her before, she seems profoundly familiar to me.

She runs up to me and hugs me tightly, saying again, "Ryoma!"

As she rocks me back and forth, clinging tightly to me, her tears making my shirt wet, I suddenly know who she is, and I wonder how I couldn't have recognized her.

"O-okaa-san…" I say, feel my eyes prick with tears.

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><p>DemonicEmbrace: What did you think? Please review and tell me what you thought, hm? Also, I'd just like to say, that the organization One Child, is a very real organization, based in Canada. It's run mostly by young people and it helps fundraise and save children from sex slavery. Anyone can be a part of it. Go to their website, onechild(dot)ca, for more information. Even though you don't see it, slavery still goes on today, and not only in the poor countries. It's happening right here in my own back yard, Canada. It happens in the US, England, Thailand, Sri Lanka, all over the world, but you know what? We aren't powerless! We young people have more power than we believe, and we can make a difference! Join One Child today and help us become the generation that stops slavery for good!...Also, look forward to the next chapter, but until then, see you later!<p> 


	2. Okaa san

**Ryoma**

As the woman, my mother, sobs into my shoulder, her arms protectively around me, I hug her, trying to comfort her.

"Oh, Ryoma, you have no idea how much we've all missed you," she says in Japanese, and I reply in kind.

"I've missed you too, okaa-san…" I say, but I trail off. I don't remember anything about my family. All the memories I have of before I was rescued have been shoved into the deepest recesses of my heart, even the ones of before I had been abducted. As it is, I can barely remember the woman sobbing in my arms, only a memory of her, looking young and beautiful and happy; and the lullaby she used to sing to me. Those are the only memories I have of her, but they are so precious to me. I would dig up everything, rip open my nearly healed wounds from so long ago, if only it would mean I would remember her…and the rest.

Pulling away a little, she smiles, and puts a hand on my cheek. As she leans in close, I flinch away on reflex. Then, after seeing the hurt look on her face, I immediately feel guilty. All she had wanted was to kiss me on the cheek, as any mother would do in this situation.

Her eyes tear up and I feel even guiltier. "O-okaa-san, I-I'm sorry, it's just…" I trail off because she's begun shaking her head, as if to say that she understands.

"I've already been told what's happened. You've been through so much, an I wasn't even there for you…" she starts sobbing again, and I don't know what to say.

Suddenly, I notice that Aly has come up to us. She puts her hand on my mothers back as if to comfort her, and a memory flashes into my mind of the first time I had met her. She had done the same thing to me then. I smile a little, because even though with that memory comes the bitter taste of fear, I also feel secure, knowing that I'm safe now, and that's all in the distant past.

"It's not your fault," Aly says in English and my mother looks up at her. "It's not your fault, or Ryoma's, or his father's. This is all the fault of those horrid people. Remember this, there may be no way to change the past, but that doesn't mean you don't have control over the future. Ryoma has already accepted that fact, and he's well on his way to healing. Your job now is to help him have a happier future and that will in itself make up for his lost childhood."

As she says this, Aly's voice is grim, but it has a mixture of hope, kindness, and a gentle sternness in it. Although I've heard her say this to many newly reunited parents and children before, it's come to have a completely different meaning to me now. I know why those children had all looked so happy afterwards. Her words brought the children and their parents hope that there was still a chance of having a relatively normal life.

I know that my mother has understood because she has a small, hopeful smile on her face.

Bowing slightly, she says to Aly in English, "Thank you very much, for everything you have done for my family until now. I have heard that you were one of the three people present when my son was rescued. So young, and yet so brave."

Aly smiles sheepishly.

"I'm not all that brave. I'm just doing what I know is right. No one deserves to be put through that, and the younger they're rescued, the better. I'm just glad that you and Ryoma have finally been reunited."

My mother smiles a little wider. "And you are humble too. You have a warriors spirit. We need more people like that."

Aly blushes once more, and then they both get down to business. The two of them begin talking, and Aly tells my mother about an organization in Japan that is similar to One Child. Aly has already seen to it that I would be able to go there and talk to a therapist at least once a month, and more frequently if need be.

After talking for a long time, and after all has been settled, it is determined that I will be going back to Japan with my mother, to slowly try to reintegrate back into society.

There is a tearful reunion between me and the staff at One Child, but the next day, I am finally on a plane with my mother, on my way back to my home and away from my nightmares.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Ryoga<span>**

I pace impatiently back and forth as my father reads one of his magazines.

My mother is returning with my long lost little brother today, and my father and I are at the airport, waiting for them.

"Where are they?" I ask impatiently. "They should have gotten here by now!"

"Calm down, calm down!" says my father, not looking up. "Their plane will be landing any minute now! Try to have some more patience!"

Though he says such uncaring words, his body betrays him. His hands are shaking in anticipation and his eyes rove impatiently across the page, not taking anything in.

Then suddenly, it becomes quite crowded and I see that passengers have already started filing in, meeting their friends and family.

I sweep my eyes quickly across the sea of faces and finally, finally, I see the ones I have been waiting for.

My mother is approaching us, a sweet smile on her face, and behind her is a boy I would recognize even after 8 years apart.

He has messy, greenish-black hair and wide, frightened amber eyes.

"Ryoma…" I say quietly, feeling as if my heart were going to burst.

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><p>SkyGem: Well, that's done! Please do leave a review and I will try to update as soon as I can. Also, I will be uploading the next chapter of Deceptive Love in a few hours, so those of you who are reading it, look forward to it, ne?<p> 


	3. Coming Home

**Ryoga**

As they approach us, I call out, "Mom!" and go up to hug her.

"Hey sweetie," she says, giving me a kiss on the head.

I then look down at Ryoma who's staring up at me with wide, timid eyes.

I smile widely at him and he smiles shyly back. I can't believe how much he's changed.

"Hey Ryoma," I say brightly. "Do you remember me?"

He shakes his head a little, looking apologetic and I smile to reassure him that it's okay.

"Well, let me reintroduce myself. I'm your older brother, Ryoga. I'm 18."

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><p><strong><span>Ryoma<span>**

I stare up at the guy calling himself my older brother and my smile widens a little. I remember Michael, who had been there on the night of my rescue, and I remember thinking he seemed familiar. Now I know he had reminded me of Ryoga.

Slowly, hesitantly, I approach Ryoga and he looks at me questioningly. Then, I throw my arms around his waist in a gentle hug and he smiles widely, hugging me tightly back.

"Welcome home, chibisuke," he says and I feel tears well up in my eyes.

When he lets go, another man comes up to me. He is wearing a brown monk robe and his messy brown hair and golden eyes are familiar.

Smiling, he ruffles my hair gently and plants a kiss on my head. "Long time no see, brat. Welcome home."

He has a gentle face, and I know I can trust him, but suddenly, a long buried memory rushes into my mind and I flinch away on reflex. I berate myself for repeating my earlier mistake.

The expression on my father's face is like an arrow piercing through my heart, and I begin to apologize but he waves it off.

"It's not your fault, Ryoma. Anyways, let's go home, ne?"

I nod meekly and follow him as he leads us to the car.

The whole trip, Ryoga keeps up a steady stream of chatter, telling me about our home and friends and the school that I'll be going to. It turns out that his high school and the junior high school that I will be going to are attached. The high schoolers are in one half of the building while the junior high schoolers are in the other half. I feel a little safer knowing that my brother will be in the same school as me.

Then, halfway through a description of the school grounds, he suddenly perks up and looks at me curiously.

"Do you still know how to play tennis?"

I shake my head. "I don't play any sports, but I do like to paint."

He looks a little deflated. "Aw, that sucks. I was hoping to have someone worthy to play against. You use to love tennis when you were younger…" and he trails off.

I smile a little; he's just like a little kid.

"Well, I have always thought it was a pretty cool sport. Would you mind teaching it to me…again?" I ask, trying to cheer him up.

It works and he immediately cheers up. "We'll get started right away! But you have to be serious about it, okay? I'm not going to be soft on you just because you're my little brother. I'm a strict coach!"

"Hai," I say and my dad interrupts us from the front seat.

"So the gaki is going to re-learn tennis? Let's hope his skills haven't eroded too much, ne? I mean, he didn't have too much to begin with."

At this, I feel a little irritation flare up inside me and I blurt out, "Urusai, oyaji!"

Then, there's a stunned silence in the car and I realize what I've just done.

I'm about to apologize but there's a soft chuckle from my father and he says, "Looks like you haven't changed too much. I'm sure the cocky, arrogant brat in you is just dying to get out."

I stare at him uncomprehendingly. Cocky? Arrogant? Was there ever really a time when I was like that?"

I was snapped out of my thoughts when the car finally stopped moving and I looked out to see that we had arrived in front of an old temple.

Looking out, images flashed through my mind. Memories of days I had spent rolling around in the grass and playing around with my brother and his friends. And memories of others, too. Others who look about my age, or possibly a year or two older than me.

As I step out of the car, still trying to remember these strangers, a small shape jumps gracefully off the roof of the temple and begins approaching us.

It's a pretty cat. Her long silky fur is a pretty cream colour and covers most of her body except her tail, paws, face, and ears, which are the very shade of dark chocolate. Her eyes are a beautiful, intelligent blue, and are staring straight at me.

Seeing her, I am quiet for a moment, then say in a quiet, uncertain voice, "Karu…pin…?"

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><p><strong><span>Karupin<span>******

I am awoken from my sleep by the sound of a car motor. I am sorely tempted to just lie back down and return to my dreams, dreams of a long ago time and a little boy with bright amber eyes and unruly green/black hair, but I get up anyway. A few days ago, I had woken up to a Rinko rushing out the door, seeming excited. For the next days, Ryoga and his father had been strangely excited and this morning, they had left for the airport, to pick up Rinko. Now, they are back, and I know that I will finally find out what has gotten them so excited.

Stretching languidly, I jump lightly onto the ground and head towards the car.

What I see is that Ryoga and his parents are already out, but there's yet another person stepping out of the car now.

Curious, I walk closer and suddenly, his scent reaches.

It's so different from whatever and yet, it's still the same. I know who he is, but I can't believe it's him, it's impossible. He disappeared long ago. Then, he looks up at me with warm, golden eyes and I am immediately convinced.

He stares at me and I stare back. Then, his mouth opens and he calls my name.

"Karu…pin…?"

His voice, though a bit uncertain, is warm, and kind, and the sound I love most in this world.

Running up, I jump into his arms, purring loudly.

He laughs and strokes my back.

Though his touch is gentle and I know he's happy, I sense something else, something dark.

In the time he's been away, my Ryoma-sama has been through terrible, terrible things. The scars he carries, both visible and not, I can see clearly, and they hurt me deeply.

I lick his cheek to say that I'll always stay with him from now and he smiles back, kissing me gently on the forehead.

His wounds are deep, but I will help heal them and, if one day I meet the people who did this to him, so help them god, they will wish they had never been born.

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><p>SkyGem: Wah, Karupin is so cool! Haha XD. I was happy I could include a bit of her pov in this too. See, that's something that kinda bugs me. Even though Karupin is so close to Ryoma and she's such an important part of PoT (in my opinion) no one ever does povs for her unless it's a oneshot and it's based on her, so I try to include her in as much of my fics as possible (and yes, I do know that Karupin is really a guy).<p> 


	4. Nightmares

SkyGem: Hey y'all! I'm sorry, this chapter was supposed to be out yesterday but my internet crashed! I had no internet for a whole 24 hours! *Sniffles* I just about went crazy! But now it's all better ^_^ Ehehe, please r&R and, for those of you who are reading it, I'll try to get the next chappi of Sticks and Stones out in a few hours, so look forward to it, ne? Anyways, on to the story!

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><p><strong><span>Ryoma<span>**

My eyes snap open and I jerk upright in bed, screaming.

In moments, Ryoga and my parents are at my bedside.

"Ryoma, honey? What's wrong?" asks my mother, putting her hand on my arm.

My screaming dies down and I start shaking, tears starting falling down my face.

Slowly, my mother wraps her arms around me and I clutch the front of her nightgown tightly.

"Shh, it's okay, Ryoma, you're alright. You're safe, no one's going to hurt you," she says in a gentle voice.

It feels as if hours pass before I finally can calm down enough to stop crying and shaking.

When I finally do, my mother smiles gently at me and asks, "Better now?"

Nodding, I say, "I-I'm sorry for waking you up."

"There's nothing to be sorry for," says my mother. "Whenever you have a nightmare, don't hesitate to come to us, okay? Now, why don't you go back to sleep? We'll stay right here until you fall asleep."

I look around once more at my family's faces. My father looks as if he's going to fall asleep any moment now, Ryoga is smiling sleepily, and my mom is smiling reassuringly at me. My eyes then rove around my tidy bedroom, and the last thing I see before I fall sleep is the tiniest sliver of moon through my bedroom window, a waxing crescent.

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><p>The next morning, I wake up before everyone else.<p>

When I open my eyes, the sky is just starting to turn a pale grey.

I'm not sure what to do.

Back at the centre, everybody would have breakfast together at 10, but I'm not sure how it is here.

Should I wait for everyone else? Or should I go ahead and eat?

In the end, I decide to wait.

While trying to decide what to do, something on the desk in the corner of my room catches my eye.

Walking slowly up to it, I notice that it's a photo album.

Curiously, I open the cover and the very first picture I see is one of two little green-haired boys with bright amber eyes.

The older one, who looks to be about 9 years old, has his arms around the younger one, his brother, and they're both smiling at the camera.

The picture looks so familiar to me, and yet not. Was there really a time when I was this happy?

Picking up the album, I take it back to my bed and sit down. As I slowly flip through it, I see many more pictures of Ryoma and I, and some with my parents too.

Halfway through, though, I see one picture of me and eight others that I don't recognize. Ryoga isn't in the picture, and neither are my parents.

The strangers and I are all situated around a beautiful cake that has four candles in it. The decorations are mainly red and green and I can just barely see a Christmas tree peeping into the picture.

As I am studying the picture, or more specifically the people in it, there's a knock on my door and Ryoga pokes his head into my room.

"Hey, chibisuke," he says when he sees that I'm awake.

"Ohayou, Ryoga-nii," I reply.

Looking curiously at the album in my hand, he comes over and says, "What're you looking at?"

I show him the picture I was looking at and he smiles. "Ah, your fourth birthday party. I remember this."

"Who are these other people?" I ask him, gesturing to the others.

"They're your friends," he says and beings listing them off. "This serious-looking one is Tezuka Kunimitsu and the pretty one beside him is Fuji Syuusuke. The redhead is Eiji Kikumaru and the the one next to him is Oishi Shuichiro. Then there's Kawanura Takashi and Inui Sadaharu, and the two that are fighting are Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaido Kaoru."

"I see…" I say quietly, staring at the picture. They all look like such interesting people, and for some reason, I really want to meet them.

"Excluding us, they were probably the ones that took it the hardest when you disappeared," said my brother with a faraway expression on his face. "Especially Momoshiro-kun, he was never the same. Until a few years ago, he didn't even smile any more."

"Really?" I ask, not quite believing it. "They were that upset over me?"

My brother smiles sadly. "You may not remember it, but you were quite popular, chibisuke." Then, getting up, he says, "Anyways, let's go downstairs, ne? Okaa-san made pancakes for breakfast."

"Hai," I say and we go downstairs together.

Breakfast is a quiet occasion and just as I finish eating, Ryoga suddenly announces, "Ryoma and I are going to Momoshiro's house!"

"Momoshiro-san's house?" asks my mother.

"Hai! Can we go, okaa-san? Ryoma's really looking forward to it!"

Although what Ryoga says has caught me by surprise, I'm kind of excited.

I look over at my mother expectantly and, after a slight hesitation, she smiles and says, "Alright."

"Yatta!" shouts Ryoga, seeming happy, then jumps up and hurries to his room. "Hurry up and change, chibisuke! We're leaving right away!" he says, then disappears before I can respond.

"Arigatou, kaa-san!" I say, giving her a hug then disappearing up to my room.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Momoshiro<span>**

A knock at my door wakes me up at almost ten thirty in the morning.

Not bothering to open my eyes, I say, "What do you want?"

"There's someone here to see you!" comes the excited voice of my mother.

"Tell Eiji to go away! I already gave his video games back to him!"

"It's not Kikumaru-kun!" says my mother. "It's the Echizen siblings!"

"Tell them to-" I begin but then stop halfway. Jerking upright, I say, "Nani? Did you say the Echizen siblings?"

"Hai!" says my mother in a singsong voice. "Hurry up and come downstairs! It's not good to keep guests waiting! And Ryoma-kun is excited to see you!"

Even before she's finished her sentence, I jump out of bed and tear down the stairs two at a time.

When I get to the living room, sure enough, I see Ryoga sitting on the couch with a much smaller figure sitting next to him.

This smaller figure has the familiar greenish-black hair and amber eyes of the Echizens and is wearing a shy but expectant smile on his face.

"Ryoma!"

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><p>SkyGem: Ahaha! I love cliffhangers! Anyways, what did you think of this chapter? Please do leave a review and tell me what you thought, ne?<p> 


	5. Ochibi chan!

**Momoshiro**

"Ryoma!"

The younger Echizen stares at me a moment, his face expressionless, then he smiles shyly.

Getting up, he bows deeply and say, "Konnichiwa, Momoshiro-san. It's a pleasure to see you again."

To say I'm surprised by my friends actions would be an understatement. Then, looking over at his older brother, I see an apprehensive expression on his face, and I'm positive that something must have happened to the brat in the last eight years.

Pushing aside my thoughts, I smile brightly and say, "What's with the Momoshiro-san? What happened to Takeshi?"

His smile became a bit awkward as he said, "A-ah. Well, a lot has happened since then…Takeshi-kun. People tend to forget things."

I stare at him with wide eyes, then look over to Ryoga. "What's happened to him? Why's he so…obedient?"

Ryoga, after fidgeting in his seat a bit, met my eyes and said in a vague voice, "Ah, well, long story short, he had a traumatic experience when he was younger and now doesn't remember anything before the age of…six was it?"

He looks over at Ryoma, as if for confirmation. His brother nods and says, "Except for a few snippets. I'm regaining memories all the time, but most of my childhood is still lost…"

I look back and forth between the two of them. Shocked as I am by their revelation, I can tell there's something they're hiding. Finally, I decide to leave it. If Ryoma wants me to know, he'll tell me when he's ready.

Smiling, I grab Ryoma's hand and start heading towards the stairs that lead to my bedroom. "Let's go play games in my room! You come too, Ryoga-san."

I feel Ryoma flinch a little when I take his hand, but he doesn't pull away, so I decide not to take any notice of it and continue upwards.

When we get to my room, I drop his hand and go turn the console on.

"I borrowed these pretty cool games from Eiji-sempai a few days ago, and I've been wanting someone to play against."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Ryoga<span>**

I watch closely from my place on the bed as Ryoma struggles to keep up with Momo in the game they're currently playing. Even though he isn't doing too well, I can tell from his expression that he's having lots of fun.

When the words Game Over blink onto the screen, both boys stare at it disbelievingly and Momo falls onto his back, laughing.

"You suck, Ryoma!"

"It's not my fault," grumbles Ryoma, looking away and crossing his arms. "I've never played this game before."

Momo chuckles and says, "Fine, I'll forgive you this one time."

Springing up, Momo goes to change the game and says, "Well then, let's see how you do with Crash Bandicoot*!"

At this, I can see Ryoma's face light up childishly.

"This time, you're going down, Takeshi."

I'm surprised by how different Ryoma acts around Momo. He seems to have loosened up a lot.

Getting up, I say, "Since you two are so busy, I'll get going. Call me if something happens, ne?"

"Hai, whatever you say," they both say at the same time, not looking back.

Chuckling, I get up and head to the door. "Bye!"

* * *

><p><strong><span>Eiji<span>**

As I wait for Momo to pick the phone, I keep getting more and more irritated. It's been more than a month since I lent him my games and I want them back already!

Finally, I heard a click, and then a voice comes on the line saying, _"Moshi moshi?"_

"Momo-chan!" I say, trying to sound strict. "I want my games back!"

I hear a chuckle on the other side, and Momo saying to someone else, "It's Eiji." I'm curious as to who is there with him, but instead focus on the task at hand.

When he comes back to the phone, his voice is chipper as he says, _"Sorry, sempai, but Ryoma and I are using them right now."_

"Nani?" I blurt out, thinking I've heard wrong; he must have said Ryoga. "What's Ryoga-san doing at your house?"

"_Baka,"_ he said, sounding as if he were trying to hold back laughter. _"I said Ryoma, not Ryoga."_

"Ochibi-chan?" I say, not quite believing what I've heard.

"_Hai,"_ came the short answer.

"Since when?"

"_He came over this morning with his brother."_

"You're not lying?" I ask.

Then, I hear a sigh on the other end, and a click, signalling that he's hung up on me.

Frustrated, I try to call him again. But before I can punch in his number, I receive a text.

When I see that it's from Momo, I open it curiously and the first thing I see is a picture of him sitting next to a guy about a year or so younger than him. The kid has green hair and golden eyes, and is most definitely Ryoma. The text beneath the picture says "Do you believe me now?"

I stare in shock at the picture in front of me for a good ten minutes. At one point, my mother walks by, and when she sees me, she gets worried and comes over.

When she sees the picture, she too is shocked, putting a hand to her mouth, not quite believing what she's seeing.

"Is that Ryoma-kun?" she asks.

"Hai…" I say faintly.

"He was alive?"

"Hai…" I repeat.

She recovers from her shock before I do and walks away giggling, saying, "You better go and see him! Tell him I said hello too, ne? Mama has some phone calls to make now."

I have no doubt those because of those "phone calls," the whole town will know that the youngest Echizen has returned to his family before the day is over.

Finally, a few minutes after my mom has left, I snap out of it and quickly forward the text to the others, then slip on a pair of shoes and dash over to Momo's house.

Throwing the door open, I shout "Ojamashimasu!"

Since Momo and I (and the others) have been friends since we were kids, we came and went to each others houses as we pleased…with our parents' permission, of course.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I arrive at Momo's bedroom door in seconds.

"Ochibi-chan!"

* * *

><p>SkyGem: So, what do you think of the chapter? Please do leave a review and tell me what you thought, ne? I'll try to update Sticks and Stones today too, if I'm not too lazy. (I'm not making any promises on when the next chapter of this fic will be out. My promises mean nothing. -_-')<p>

*Disclaimer: I do not own Crash Bandicoot; it belongs to Activision (though I wish it didn't…). I just adore the game ^_^. I grew up on it…


	6. It Wasn't Your Fault

**Ryoma**

"Ochibi-chan!" I hear an incredulous voice call out.

Turning around, I see that it's a redhead with cat-like eyes, and a band-aid on his cheek; he seems to be about two years older than me. The moment he sees me turn around, he launches himself at me, grabbing me into a vicelike grip. I force myself not to flinch away, not wanting to make the same mistake again. I'm proud of myself when I succeed.

"I missed you so much, ochibi-chan! W-when we heard on the news about your disappearance, a-and when your family came home without you, everyone was so sad! After a while, they thought you were dead, b-but all of us knew you would come back one day, and now you have, and y-y-you don't know how happy I am to see you again!"

"A-ah," I say, not quite knowing how to respond. Then, after a second of silence, "You're Eiji-nii, aren't you?"

He nods his head eagerly and a wide smile spreads across his face. He looks as if he's about to say more when the door to Momo's room and there's two more young men standing there. One of them has sharp, snake-like eyes and a green bandanna around his head. The other is a brunette with bulky muscles wrapped around his shoulders, and he has a shy expression on his face. I can kind of recognise them, but I don't quite remember their names.

Their arrival makes me a little nervous. Even though I know that they won't hurt me, something makes me want to flee the room right away, but I stay seated on the ground beside Momo. Almost immediately, I regret my decision because, before I even have time to blink, the two newcomers enter the room, still with their eyes trained on me, and soon, another four young men appear at the doorway too. Suddenly, I start to feel suffocated, and I start panicking.

One of the older teens, his eyes are closed and his mouth is stretched into an excited smile, steps towards me, and I slowly back away from him. His name is Syuusuke, I remember; after Momo and Eiji, he was probably the one I was closest to, but even though I know I can trust him, my body won't listen to me.

When he sees me retreating, a confused and hurt expression comes onto his face, and I almost want to apologize, but I can't.

By now, I can barely think straight, and my surroundings slowly change.

Instead of being in the brightly lit room I was in a second ago, I'm in a dimly lit, lavish bedroom with a king sized bed in the centre. There's a man in the room with me; he has flowing blonde hair, and I can tell from his clothes that he's very wealthy. As he walks slowly up to me, I suddenly feel too terrified to move. He grabs both of my hands in his, and I'm suddenly four years old again; too weak to break out of his grasp.

He puts his other hand on my waist, and roughly pulls me closer to him.

The spicy smell of his cologne makes me lightheaded, and I don't have any strength to fight back as his free hand moves intrudingly under my shirt, and I let out a yell of pure terror.

That's when I realize that I'm still in Momo's room, and everyone is looking at me with worried expressions.

"Ryoma?" asks Syuusuke, reaching his hand towards me. This one gesture reminds me of **that place **again, and I back away, saying in a scared voice, "Go away. Don't touch me!"

I look fearfully at everyone in the room, and I slowly wrap my arms protectively around myself, curling into a tight little ball, wishing I could disappear.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Inui<span>**

"Go away. Don't touch me!" shouts Ryoma. His eyes are slightly glazed over, as if he is somewhere else right now.

The way he curls in on himself, as if he wants to disappear seems familiar to me; even though I'm sure I've never been in this situation before.

It takes me a minute to realize what's going on, but then realization hits me like a rock, and I remember where I've seen this before.

I remember watching a documentary about child sex abuse victims a few years ago and, even though I wish it wasn't true, I know now why Ryoma disappeared all those years ago.

"Ryoma," says Momo, trying to approach the frightened twelve year old.

"Everyone," I say, trying to get their attention.

As the others all turn their questioning glances on me, I hurriedly take control.

Gesturing towards the door, I say, "I want everyone to leave. Now."

For a second, no one moves, but slowly, they all get up to follow my orders.

Just before I close the door on them, I say to Tezuka, "Call Ryoga-san and tell him what happened to Ryoma."

I didn't wait for a response before I closed the door, knowing that my order will be carried out.

Turning around, I look at Ryoma, who is still curled up on the bed, not having noticed that everyone has left.

"Ryoma-kun," I say in a normal voice, but the boy doesn't react. "Ryoma-kun," I repeat his name a little louder, and he slowly turns his head towards me, but his eyes aren't focused, as if he's lost in his horrific memories. I smile reassuringly at him, and I see him relax a little. "Do you remember me, Ryoma-kun?" I ask.

It takes a minute for my question to register, but after a moment, he slowly nods.

"Who am I?" I ask him, slowly inching closer.

"Sadaharu-nii," he says quietly, not seeming to notice the lessening distance between us. "We used to play together when we were younger."

I nod in affirmation, still inching ever closer to the poor boy. "And you know I would never harm you?" I prompt.

After a slight hesitation he nods.

"And what about the others?" I ask. "Do you think they would ever hurt you?"

He slowly shakes his head 'no,' and my smile widens a little. "Then why did you react like that earlier?"

"B-because," he stutters. "I was scared."

"Why were you scared?" I ask.

"I remembered **that place**," he says, and suddenly looks around, as if noticing for the first time that we're alone.

When he turns back to look at me, I'm only a few feet away from him, and this seems to spook him.

He looks as if he's going to retreat again, but before he can do anything, I say, "But you're not in **that place** anymore. You're back in Japan. You're back **home, **with your friends and family, who all love and care for you."

His whole body starts shaking, and he regains that faraway look in his eyes. "**They** told me they loved me too," he said. "But they still let me get hurt."

I put both hands on his shoulders, and Ryoma looked up at me with wide, scared eyes.

"That wasn't love," I said. "Those people were sick and twisted, and only cared for themselves. They're gone now, and they can never hurt you again."

By the time I finish speaking, the fear in Ryoma's eyes is gone, but it's been replaced by anger, pain, loss, and most of all; guilt.

For a second, I don't know what to do; how to continue, but then, I remember a quote from the documentary: _Child sexual abuse victims often don't tell adults what has happened to them because they believe that they are in some way responsible, and that their parents or loved ones will hate them once they find out the truth. This is almost never true, and the earlier the victim realizes this, the closer they are to coming to terms with their painful past._

Forcing Ryoma to meet my gaze, I say to him the four words he probably most wanted to hear in the world: "It wasn't your fault."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Ryoma<span>**

I stare at the older boy for a few seconds, trying to comprehend the words that he's just said.

I've heard them before. The people at the centre used to tell us that all the time. When a new arrival comes, they would keep repeating those words to them, like a mantra. _It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault._

I'd heard it so many times that the words have basically lost meaning for me.

. . . At least they should have. They should be a meaningless string of sounds to me; they shouldn't have any effect on me.

So why? Why do I feel tears welling up in my eyes?

Why do I feel as if a huge weight has suddenly been lifted from my chest?

I can't keep the tears at bay any longer, and they pour over onto my cheeks.

Sadaharu-nii smiles gently at me, and pulls me into a gentle hug and for the first time in as long as I can remember, I welcome the embrace.

I clutch at his shirt, and pour my heart out.

The seconds stretch into hours, and by the time I stop crying, it feels like hours have flown past.

Sadaharu-nii smiles at me again, and I return the smile shyly. Then, looking past him, I see the clear blue sky through the window, and even though it's barely noon, I can see the faint outline of the moon; the first quarter.

* * *

><p>SkyGem: Well, what did you think? Very emotional chapter, ne? Anyways, please do leave a review and tell me what you thought, ne? And I'll see if I can update this soon (though I probably can't).<p>

P.S. In case any of you are wondering what the first quarter is, it's the name for when the right half of the moon is out (the left half is the last quarter).


	7. Don't Take Offense

SkyGem: Hey y'all! It's finally December first! Yay! Anyways, I need to be going to school now, so I'll only be updating this for now, but when I get back, I'll do my best to put up the next chapters of "Sticks and Stones" and "Being Human." I can't update all my fics today, so I'll do them in batches of three! The next batch is tomorrow. So be patient for now, ne? Hope you like this chapter~

* * *

><p><strong>Ryoga<strong>

I knock frantically on the front door of the Momoshiros' house.

The door is opened only seconds later by the redhead known as Eiji, and I nod my thanks. Then, running past him, I take the stairs two at a time, and arrive before the bedroom Ryoma was in.

Taking a deep breath, I quietly open the door and peek inside. When I see the scene in front of me, I breathe a small sigh or relief.

"Ryoma," I say, and my little brother looks up at me with a face streaked with tears.

"Onii-san," he says, getting up from where he's sititng.

Going up to him, I sweep his hair out of his eyes, and dry his tears. "Are you okay?" I ask, and he smiles shyly at me.

"I'm feeling good," he says in an almost apologetic voice.

"Thank kami-sama," I say, wrapping my arms around him. "I was so worried," I say.

He seems to hesitate for a second, but then he returns my hug. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Ryoga."

Letting out a small, relieved laugh, I say, "There's nothing to be sorry about, Ryoma. What happened just now wasn't your fault."

There's a moment of silence before Ryoma says, "Yeah," in a quiet voice, then pulls back to smile at me.

"So, do you want to go home now?" I ask.

Ryoma immediately shakes his head and says, "I can't go yet. I have to apologise to everyone, and tell them what happened."

"You don't have to tell us if you're not ready," says a voice from the doorway, and we all turn to see Momo standing there with the others, all nodding in agreement.

* * *

><p><strong>Ryoma<strong>

I look back at the doorway to see that the others are back. They're all looking at me with worried eyes; this time, I don't let myself feel scared. I keep telling myself that they're my friends, and that they would never hurt myself, and it works. I don't feel scared of them.

Disentangling myself from my brother's embrace, I turn to look at them with a tentative smile on my face. "I want to tell you," I say in a shy voice. "I know you guys are really worried for me and want to help, so the least I can do is let you know what's wrong."

They all smile back and slowly walk into the room, settling on the ground or on chairs that seemed to magically appear out of nowhere, but not on the bed. They left the bed free for me, giving me space so as not to make me feel uncomfortable.

I smile, to show that I appreciate their sentiment then take a seat, Ryoga sitting on my left and Takeshi on my right.

Taking a deep breath, I start my tale, "A few days before we were supposed to return to Japan, I got separated from aniki and my parents..."

As I'm talking, all the terrible memories that I've suppressed for the longest time return to me in a flood, but I can't remember anything from before, which seems to me the real tragedy. I want to remember the people sitting around me.

As I finish explaining to the others what has happened to me these past years, I keep my gaze locked on the floor, not able to meet anyone's eyes.

When I feel Ryoga wrap one of his arms around me, and feel a tear drop onto my face, I realize that this is also the first time he's hearing the full story. I look up, wanting to say something to him, but am rendered speechless when I see the pained expression on his face.

Gazing around the room, I see that everyone has tears in their eyes and expressions similar to Ryoga's on their faces. It's an odd feeling; I've never had anyone cry for me before. Back at the instituation, children like me were an everyday occurence. Seeing people cry and be sad for me makes me feel...loved. I'm not happy that they're upset anything, but it gives me fuzzy feeling in my stomach.

"Ochibi-chan..." says Eiji, seeming at a loss for words. He makes as if he wants to hug me, but then thinks better of it, and wraps his arms around his torso, looking at the floor. "I can't believe my little ochibi-chan had to go through so much..."

Suddenly, a loud noise makes me look at Takeshi, and I see that he's punched the wall.

"T-Takeshi?" I question, feeling slightly scared.

His expression is fierce as he growls, "I swear, if I ever get my hands on them, I'll..." He trails off, as if thinking of all the possibilities.

"Is there any way we can possibly help you recover, Ryoma-kun?" asked Shuichiro, looking concerned, his eyes shadowed.

I smile uncertainly, feeling suddenly shy. Shaking my head, I say, "I just want you guys to stay with me...and please don't be offended if I sometimes get upset for seemingly no reason at all."

By now, they're all staring at me intently, and when I finish speaking, they all start nodding enthusiastically, wanting to do whatever they can to help me 'get better.'

There's another moment of silence before Syuusuke smiles widely (though it seems a bit forced) and asks, "You're going to be attending Seigaku, right Ryoma-kun?"

I shrug, saying, "I'm not sure. I haven't discussed that with my parents yet. I think I am..."

"Wah! Ochibi-chan should definitely come to Seigaku! That's where we all go! And then, Ryoma-kun can join the tennis club too!"

I nodd slowly, a smile coming onto my face, and I can't help but notice that Eiji is now sitting on his hands, as if to physically restrain himself from hugging me.

After a slight hesitation, I say playfully, "Ne, Eiji-nii, when am I going to get my welcome back hug?"

The red-head's eyes widen, and a Cheshire grin spreads across his face. Fyling across the room, he tackles me into a bone-crushing embrace. "Nya, I missed hugging Ochibi-chan soooo much! Don't ever leave us again, okay?"

"O-of course not," I choke out, trying to breathe.

"Oi! I wanna hug him too!" interrupts Takeshi, seeming to have recovered from his earlier mood. Before long, I found myslef in the middle of a group hug, (Tezuka and Kaido were unwillingly pulled in by Eiji).

* * *

><p>SkyGem: Hey everyone! Sorry this story has been on hiatus for so long~ and so out of the blue too XP. I'm really sorry. It's been so long since I've written for the PoT fandom, and I must say, it feels awesome to be back. I just needed to take a little break XD. Anyways, this fic will be done pretty soon, maybe one or two chapters left, just letting y'all know. So, for now, please do leave a review and let me know what you thought, ne? And I'll be updating whenever I have the time! Ciao~<p>

P.S. Haha, those of you who follow my KHR story "Raising a Family" might know how I feel when I say that when I type Momoshiro's first name, a picture of everyone's favourite rain guardian pops into my head XD. I've gotten too used to typing out their first names; now, whenever I write a one-shot or something, I actually sometimes put in their first names without thinking XD.


	8. Math

**-Ryoma-**

The ringing of my alarm clock is what awakens me. Groaning, I turn over and put the pillow over my head, wanting just a few more minutes of that precious thing called sleep.

Finally, I give up and get out of bed, trying to think of the dream I'd been having. It had been such a good one, too…all I can remember was the warm sun on my face and the laughter of other kids.

Sighing, I get out of my bed to get ready, feeling my stomach churn uneasily. Today is going to be my first day at my new school, and I don't know if I'm ready yet. I mean, sure, I was able to stay in the same room as Takeshi and the others yesterday, but that's different! They're my friends, and there were only nine of them. What's nine students to nine hundred?

What will I do if I have another attack? I don't want everyone to see me like that; I don't want everyone to see me at my weakest.

Taking deep breaths, I try to calm myself down, and by the time I'm done with my shower, I feel considerably more relaxed, but I'm still a little anxious.

When I arrive downstairs in my new uniform, feeling a little self-conscious, I see that Ryoga is already at the breakfast table devouring a stack of pancakes. He's wearing his own uniform, which is only a little different from my own, and okaa-san is at the stove, flipping pancakes.

When Ryoga sees me, he smiles brightly and says, "Hurry up, chibisuke! We don't want to be late, do we?"

Nodding a little apprehensively, I sit down.

Turning around, my mother brings over a plate of pancakes, saying, "Good morning, Ryoma. Make sure you eat a lot! You don't want to be hungry on your first day, now do you?"

Shaking my head, I pick up my fork and butter-knife, stuffing some of the pancake into my mouth.

It's then that I notice that my mother is now staring at me apprehensively.

"Is there something wrong, okaa-san?"

"You don't look too well," she says, her eyebrows furrowing. "Why don't you stay home today? We can get you a home tutor, if you'd like. You don't have to go if you don't want to, you know."

Seeing my mother's concerned expression, I feel motivated. Remembering that the two of them have tried so hard ever since I came back to make me feel comfortable, I try to smile reassuringly at her. "I'm fine, okaa-san," I tell her. "I want to go! It'll be fun, going to school with my friends. And anyways, if anything happens, Ryoga and the others are there as well. I'll be fine!"

Still looking a little unsure, my mother nods worriedly, suddenly throwing her arms around me and this time, instead of flinching away, I lean into her embrace, taking comfort. These past years, I'd forgotten how a mother's hug felt like; I like it.

Finally, she pulls away and turns back to make the pancakes, and I have the suspicion that she's hiding tears.

Deciding not to question her about it, I turn back to my food.

By the time my father finally comes downstairs for breakfast, it's time for Ryoga and I to leave.

Bidding him goodbye, I follow Ryoga out the door and he immediately goes to one of the two cars parked in our garage.

"Get in," he says, gesturing towards the passenger seat.

Now, I've come to love and trust my brother quite a bit since I first returned home, but I can't help but feel a little apprehensive getting in a car driven by him.

When I hesitate, he puts on a mock injured expression.

"I'm hurt, chibisuke!" he says, pouting childishly. "You can trust me, you know! I'm actually a really good driver!"

"I'm sure you are," I reply sarcastically, but get into the car anyway.

The moment I put my seatbelt on, the pout disappears from Ryoga's face and he smiles devilishly. "Well," he says, "Now that you've made such a rude comment, prepare to face the consequences!"

And with that, he steps on the gas pedal, propelling us forward and giving me the shock of my life.

I spend the whole ride clutching my seat so hard my knuckles go white, and a trip that should have taken ten minutes is over in only five, thanks to Ryoga's crazy driving.

By the time the car is parked in the parking lot of the school, I've made up my mind to **never** get into a car that Ryoga's driving ever again.

Laughing at the expression on my face, Ryoga just ruffles my hair playfully and says, "See there, Ryoma? That's probably going to be the scariest part of your day. Good thing you've got it over with, ne?"

Glaring daggers at him, I hiss, "I am NEVER getting into this car with you again!"

"Aww, chibisuke!" he says after I've gotten out of the car and am stalking off in the direction of the school. "You know you can trust me! I'm sorry for scaring you! Really! It was only supposed to be a joke!"

I don't reply to this; not because I'm mad, I know that Ryoga would never let me get hurt, but because I've suddenly realized that a lot of people are staring at Ryoga and I.

Noticing my apprehension, Ryoga looks around at everyone staring at us before throwing an arm around my shoulder.

Continuing to walk casually to the school entrances, he says to me in a quiet voice, "Don't worry about the stares, chibisuke. It's just that your big brother is so popular, you see. And everyone knows that you disappeared so long ago. Now they're just surprised to see you back. Don't worry, you get used to it after a while. They won't do anything to you, at any rate. But if someone approaches you and you really don't want to talk to them, just glare at them like you did at me in the car, and they'll be sure to flee."

I look up at him as he finishes talking, and see him wink conspiratorially.

As we reach the door to my first period class, he ruffles my hair once again before turning and heading off in the opposite direction.

I watch him go, feeling a little more scared now that he's gone, and when he's turned the corner, I take a deep breath and turn towards my classroom door, wondering if maybe the gods hate me.

My first period class is Math.

It's not that I don't like math; on the contrary, I'm actually pretty good at it. But that's the problem. Because I'm so good at math, I'm taking math with the second years.

As if the prospect of being in the same room as thirty other students my age isn't terrifying enough, I have to be in a class with students a year older than me.

Taking a deep breath, I step into the classroom, and the teacher, who's sitting at his desk and waiting for the bell to ring so he can start his class, smiles at me.

Gesturing me forward, he asks for my timetable, and I give it to him.

He takes it and examines it closely before smiling and saying, "Welcome to the class, Echizen-kun. Why don't you take an empty seat and we can get started, yes?"

I nod obediently and turn to look for an empty seat when I see something that makes my stomach untangle itself from and makes me feel a little better about being in math with the second years.

Takeshi is sitting to the back of the classroom, waving his arms wildly to try and get my attention and pointing at an empty seat beside him.

Smiling a little, I head over, thinking that maybe this class won't be so bad after all.

* * *

><p>SkyGem: Well, it took me quite a while to get that chapter out. I'm so sorry! Things have been so hectic for me, and I don't feel quite so enthusiastic about my PoT stories any more…but I won't be abandoning any of them, so don't worry! I've actually deleted "Chibisuke" and "TenniPuri" because I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now, and when I read back over those two, I wasn't really satisfied with them…but don't worry, I'll be reposting them some time in the future! Hopefully, better written (and in 3rd pov). Well, that's it for now! Please do leave a review and I'll see when I can update again! Ciao!<p> 


	9. Life Is Good

**-Momo-**

A bright smile comes onto my face the moment Ryoma walks into the classroom.

The day before, our sensei had told us that we would be having a transfer student; I'd had a feeling that it would be Ryoma, since he'd told us how good he was in math, but to have that feeling confirmed makes me so happy.

He looks nervous, but then his eyes land on me and Mamushi, and a small smile makes its way onto his face.

Fortunately, the teacher puts him only a few seats away from us, and I can tell that he's relaxed quite a bit since he first came in, although he still looks pretty tense.

Throughout the class, I can see that he's working hard, and by the time the bell rings and we're dismissed, most of our classmates seem surprised that Ryoma can keep up so well; heck, he's even smarter in math than half of our classmates.

"So, was it as terrifying as you thought it would be?" I ask him as he's packing up his things to head to his next class, and he smiles up at me for a moment.

"It was better with you guys here," he says.

I shrug at this, and reply with, "Well, I'm glad we were able to help, though we didn't really do much."

Mamushi, who's come up behind me, says, "You did pretty well, gaki. Now that you've gotten through a class with second years, the rest of your classes should be easy."

* * *

><p><strong>-Ryoma-<strong>

It's really lucky that Takeshi and Kaoru were both in my first period class.

Even though I didn't really get to talk to them until the end, just knowing that they were there helped me relax, because I knew that they wouldn't let anyone hurt me.

After saying goodbye to them, I head over to my next class, hoping that it will be as easy as the first one was.

When I get there, I take a deep breath before stepping into the room.

I can see that most of the students aren't there yet, so I feel a little better as I walk up to the sensei's desk and give her the note.

She takes it, reads it over, then smiles up at me.

Not too long after, the majority of my new classmates have arrived, and it's time for me to introduce myself.

As I stare out at my new classmates, I can pick out a few familiar faces here and there, familiar faces that I know I've seen before, but that I can't put a name to.

One of them, a loud boy whose eyebrows join together in the center, looks beyond shocked to see me and shouts out, "Oi! Echizen! You're finally back, are you?"

I frown a little at his loud voice, but don't say anything, merely choosing to study the rest of my classmates.

There's a girl near the middle of the class with long, braided pigtails and a shy expression on her face; I'm pretty sure her name's Ryuuzaki. She's the only one whose name I really remember because she used to come over with her grandmother sometimes, although I don't think I've ever really heard her talk before…

I listen quietly as the teacher explains to the class why I'm coming so late in the term before taking my seat and trying to ignore all the curious looks.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day goes by pretty quickly for me, despite all the annoying questions that are thrown my way, and before I know it, the dismissal bell has rung, and I'm on my way to the tennis courts outside,<p>

The loud boy from second period, whose name I by now know is Horio, is in my last period class and, unfortunately, I've had to ask him for directions.

The whole way there, he's going on about his two years of tennis experience, and I can immediately tell that he's all talk. No matter where you go, there are always those kinds of people; the kinds who really have no idea what the hell they're talking about.

Thankfully, before long, we arrive at the courts.

On the flip side, though, I get attacked by Eiji.

"Nya, ochibi-chan, you're here! Did you have a good first day?" he asks, trying to squeeze the life out of me.

It takes a while for Shuichiro-nii to pry him off me, but when he does, I'm free to answer his question, and I say, "Hai, Eiji-sempai. My first day went well. Kaoru-nii and Takeshi-nii were in my first class."

"Ehh?" asks Eiji, looking jealous, "No fair, Takeshi-kun, Kaoru-kun! Why do you get to be in ochibi-chan's class?"

Takeshi smirks and makes a smart-ass remark, but before things can go any farther, Kunimitsu-nii comes over and tells everyone to get back to work.

"And you," he says, looking straight at me, "Are going to play against me. Your brother said that you have gotten better at tennis since you came here, so I'm going to test that."

"And if I pass that test?" I ask curiously.

"Then you're entering our next intra-school ranking tournament."

* * *

><p><em><span>Time Skip: Four Months Later<span>_

* * *

><p>"Game, set, and match to Echizen Ryoma! Six games to five!"<p>

After the referee says these words, I faintly hear the sound of explosive cheers coming into existence all around me.

It takes me a while to realize that it's the Seigaku team, cheering for our victory.

Not after that realization comes the one that they're all cheering for me.

As Takeshi and Eiji crash onto the court and tackle me to the ground in a hug, I still feel dazed.

After a moment, though, I feel a laugh bubble up inside me, surprised that the physical contact doesn't bother me as much as it used to.

Letting my fall tiredly to the floor of the tennis court, waiting for my two sempai to get the hell off of me, I smile up at the sky, my eyes trained on the gibbous moon, which stands out proudly in the noon sky.

Life is good.

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><p>SkyGem: Hey. Sorry it took me so long to update, guys, and I hope it's not too boring a chapter. Anyways, if any of you have at all understood the moon references, then you'll probably realize that there's only one chapter after this one, and I'm warning you guys, it's more like an epilogue. Look forward to it, though! I'll try to update as soon as I can! In the meantime, please do leave a review and tell me what you thought, ne? Ja ne!<p> 


	10. Epilogue: Thank You

**-Ryoma-  
><strong>_Age 32_

I stare up at the building that had been my home for more than half a decade and feel something stirring inside me.

Is it hate, for the people that made my childhood a living hell?

Is it admiration, for the people that had gone out of their way to rescue not only me, but hundreds – thousands – of other children as well?

Is it gratitude, for the people that had protected me and given me the first home I'd had since I'd been kidnapped?

It's probably a mix of all of them, but there's also something else…fear. I'm ashamed to admit it, but there's still that little stirring of fear, hidden in the very deepest depths of my heart, that one day, I'll be forced to go back there.

It's completely illogical, of course. There's no way they could make me go back, for any number of reasons. But even though my mind seems to know this, I can't help but feel a little scared.

Pushing the fear out of my mind, I remind myself that I'm now in a better place in my life, that I've broken free of my past, and that it has no power over me anymore.

Once I've calmed down, I walk up to the door and pull it open.

The smell inside reminds me almost of a hospital, and I can't help but wrinkle my nose a little.

Before I've taken more than three steps into the building, I feel a hand on my shoulder, and turn to see a very stern-looking man staring at me. "May I ask what business you have here, sir?" he asks, and I realize I'd forgotten just how tight the security is around here.

Something about the man seems familiar to me, though, and when I can pinpoint what it is, a wide smile grows on my face.

"Michael!" I exclaim, and he looks shocked that I recognize him. "You're Michael, aren't you?"

"I am," he says slowly, as if suspicious, "And who might you be?"

"Well, it _has_ been twenty years so I guess I can't blame you for not recognizing me," I say before holding out a hand for him to shake. "I'm Ryoma. Ryoma Echizen."

"R-Ryoma?" stutters out the older man, staring at me in shock, before he ignores the hand completely in favour of wrapping me in a bone-crushing hug. "I can't believe it's you! You've grown so much!"

I can't help but laugh at his enthusiasm as I return the hug, saying, "Well, I should hope so. After all, the last time you saw me, I _was_ only twelve."

"And now you're thirty-two," he says, a smile dancing on his face, a fierce pride hidden somewhere in his eyes, "And looking even better than I'd expected."

"Well, that's what happens when you have friends and family as amazing as mine," I tell him, and I see the expression in his eyes soften.

"You're happy, then," he says, something akin to relief showing on his face. And then, before an awkward silence can start up, he asks me, "So, what're you doing here? Not come to say thank you, I suppose?"

"That's exactly what I'm here for," I tell him, causing him to look incredulously at me for a moment. I scratch my cheek with a finger, smiling sheepishly. "To tell, the truth, my wife's the one that put me up to this, so…"

"I see," replies Michael with a broad grin on his face, "Even little Ryoma's married now, is he? Any children?"

I perk up at this question and, being the doting father that I am, I take out my wallet to show him. "That's my four-year-old son, Akira, and my three-month-old daughter, Ryokka," I tell him in a proud voice, pointing out my children in the relatively recent picture, which had been taken only last month, at Akira's fourth birthday party.

Michael looks at the picture in my hand, and after a moment, he nods, saying, "You have beautiful children."

"Of course!" I tell him in response, "They **are** my children, after all!"

Michael doesn't say anything to that, merely allowing me to gush about my wonderful kids for the next five minutes or so.

After I'm done, he tells me quite seriously, "I'm glad that you seem to be doing so well, Ryoma. You, of all people, deserve a happy life."

Looking away from his face and out the window, I catch site of the full moon outside, and a smile stretches across my face.

Looking back at Michael, I tell him, "Well, it's really all thanks to you and everyone else here that I was able to break free of my past, so…thank you. Thank you so, so much."

_**The End**_

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><p>SkyGem: Well, after forever and a half, I've finally finished writing this fic! So sorry it took me so long to post this, but I hope you guys liked it, ne? Please do leave one last review on here letting me know what you thought, and if you have the time, please do check out some of my other fics, ne? I don't really write for PoT anymore except for one ongoing fic that I have, but I've got a lot of fics for KHR, if you're interested. That's all for now, and I hope to see y'all again someday, ne? Ja ne, minna-san!<p> 


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